The Vegan Diet Explained

Veganism has never been more in vogue, in no small part due to Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s flirtation with a plant-based diet. Of course, many vegans aren’t only concerned with a healthy diet and forgo any animal products or by-products for ethical and environmental reasons (like these successful sporting vegans). If you’re considering adopting a vegan diet, or just want to find out what it means, we’ve broken down some of the ways vegans can make sure they’re eating the basic food groups, compared the recommended daily plate for omnivores and vegans, and highlighted six consumables you may think are fine for vegans, but aren’t (at the very least so you don’t inadvertantly break someone’s vegan diet for them – not cool).

The Theory

Shunning animal-derived foods altogether means saying goodbye to not just meat, fish, eggs and dairy, but also products including marshmallows (which contain gelatin), Worcestershire sauce (anchovies) and some kinds of apple juice (uh, fish bladders). While some treat veganism as a philosophy for living, others call their diet “plant-based”, which gets the point across while also technically having the flexibility to include meat.

RECOMMENDED: How to Get Started with a Plant-Based Diet

The Evidence

The most compelling reason to go vegan or plant-based is protection against the Big C. In a 2016 meta-review of 96 studies, vegan and vegetarian diets were linked to significantly lowered rates of cancer and heart disease. There’s some evidence that a vegan diet can lead to weight or fat loss, but it tends to be difficult to control for other lifestyle aspects in these studies.

The Good

Done properly – by eating a wide array of plant-based foods including legumes, nuts and seeds – vegan diets are among the most nutrient-dense around, and especially high in dietary fibre, magnesium, potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids and most other phytochemicals. Protein’s a concern, but it’s entirely possible to get enough if you eat properly. Finally, you might help the planet: vegan food tends to come with a much lower carbon footprint than the typical hamburger, though the effect’s often overstated in the media.

The Bad

If you’re not careful, it’s easy to eat too much over-processed food containing high amounts of soya. Plus, it can be tricky to get enough certain nutrients, especially protein, iron and vitamin B12.

Eat More Of

If you opt for a vegan diet it’s important to make sure you don’t leave yourself short of vital nutrients that are generally found in animal based products. We asked dietitian Rebecca McManamon of the British Dietetic Association for her advice on which nutrients you need to look out for and where you can get them.

Selenium: “This can be found in some nuts [especially Brazil nuts] and seeds.”

Iodine: “It’s found in its highest amounts in seaweed, and also in small quantities in potatoes and some fruits.”

Iron: “Iron is present in small amounts in pine nuts and green vegetables. Or you can use an iron pot or ‘iron fish’ when cooking. However, you may still struggle to get enough and I would advise assessment by a dietitian to consider if supplements are also required.”

Vitamin B12: “This is almost impossible to achieve through dietary means and I would recommend B12 supplementation to avoid the potentially harmful side effects of deficiency such as nerve damage.”

The Expert Verdict

Whether the vegan diet is good or bad for you depends entirely on what you choose to eat. Subsisting entirely on chips, for instance, would qualify as a vegan diet.

“A healthy vegan diet requires a lot of planning to be balanced and to get all the nutrients you need,” says McManamon. “For example I am sure we would all agree chips aren’t healthy!”

“If you plan and get accurate advice from a dietitian, plant-based diets can be high in fibre, fruit and vegetables and so therefore linked to reduced risk of some chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.”

The Major Food Groups

Carbohydrates

What do they do? Make glucose, which is your body’s primary energy source.

For omnivores: Pasta, bread, rice, potatoes.

Some great vegan options: Rice, potatoes, carrots, bananas, oranges.

Proteins

What do they do? Help you bulk up – the body uses protein to build and repair tissue.

Fibre

Minerals

What do they do? Provide calcium for stronger bones, iron, which is an important element of haemoglobin in the blood, and much more.

For omnivores: Fruit and vegetables.

Some great vegan options: Kale, apricots, tofu, hazelnuts, figs.

Vitamins

What do they do? Good for skin, bones, teeth, keeping your body healthy and boosting your immune system.

For omnivores: Milk, eggs, butter, fruit and veg.

Some great vegan options: Asparagus, marmite, tomatoes, green veg.

The Recommended Daily Plate for Omnivores and Vegans

For the omnivore (left)

Fruit and Veg – 1/3 plate

Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta – 1/3 plate

Meat, fish, eggs, beans – 1/6 plate

Milk and dairy – 1/6 plate

For the vegan (right)

Fruit and Veg – 1/3 plate

Grains, rice, potatoes – 1/3 plate

Lentils, beans – 1/6 plate

Seeds, nuts – 1/6 plate

The Vegan Detectives

Vegan no-nos lurk in the most innocent of products.

Beer

Stout beers, particularly British ones, are sometimes filtered though isinglass – also known as tropical fish bladder membrane. A notable perpetrator is Guinness, however not all beers use this method so check the ingredients online.

Wine

The “fining” or clarifying process of wine is a gory read: blood and bone marrow, crustacean shells, fish bladder membranes and protein from boiled animal parts all work to filter certain wines.

Margarine

The go-to spread when butter’s not an option often contains a milk protein called casein (also used in delicious paint and glue), the milk based by-product whey, and gelatine.